Coupling structure for board assembly

ABSTRACT

A board coupling structure with a first board and a second board. The first board and the second board are respectively formed with strip-shaped ribs and strip-shaped grooves that can be interlocked with each other. The first board and the second board can only move relative to each other in the inserting direction. The strip-shaped rib can comprise a longitudinally extending arm and an inclined or a curved arm. In particular, the strip-shaped rib can increase the contact surface of the strip-shaped rib and the strip-shaped groove.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of CN Patent Application No. CN 2021225468020, and CN Patent Application No. CN2021225324397, both entitled “COUPLING STRUCTURE FOR BOARD ASSEMBLY,” filed Oct. 20, 2021, which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present subject matter is in the field of board construction. More particularly, embodiments of the present subject matter relate to a screw-free, plug-in connection structure for plastic boards.

BACKGROUND

Many existing furniture are constructed by assembling multiple boards. In the assembly process of these furniture, screws are often required to connect and fix the boards, which is troublesome to install. For example, take the cabinet structure as an example: when assembling the cabinet, people often need to use a screw driver to install and fix the screws and other connectors on the bottom board, four side boards and cover board, so that the bottom board, side board and cover board can be put together. The process is not only time-consuming and laborious but also has low efficiency.

In addition, when disassembling the cabinet, the screws must be removed one by one, which is also inconvenient. Moreover, when the cabinet is connected and fixed with screws, it is often necessary to reserve mounting holes on the boards when manufacturing them. For precise assembly, the position of these reserved mounting holes must be accurate. Otherwise, it would cause installation failure.

Even more, some cabinets are equipped with embedded connectors in the reserved mounting holes. These embedded parts are often manually installed, resulting in low efficiency. Although the prior art has disclosed the plug-in structure with improved efficiency, the bite of these plug-in structures is low, and the structural reliability and stability need to be further improved. In addition, the contact area of the joint is not large enough, resulting in poor waterproof ability. In summary, the existing board connection structure needs to be further improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present subject matter can solve the technical problem as described herein by providing a board coupling structure with reliable structure and optimized stability in view of the present state of the art.

The technical solution of the present subject matter to solve the afore-mentioned technical problems is: a board coupling structure that comprises a first board and a second board each being respectively formed with a strip-shaped rib and a strip-shaped groove that can be inserted into each other, the first board and the second board being only movable relative to each other in the insertion direction, wherein the strip-shaped rib further comprises a longitudinally extending arm formed by a circumferential side of the first board and an inclined arm that obliquely extends from the two sides of the longitudinally extending arm, and wherein the strip-shaped groove is provided in the inner side wall of the second board, and the shape of the strip-shaped groove matches the shape of the strip-shaped rib.

According to some embodiments, the longitudinally extending arm and the circumferential side are perpendicular to each other.

According to some embodiments, the inclined arm is X-shaped, and the outer end of the longitudinally extending arm meets the center of the X-shaped inclined arm. With the X-shaped inclined arm, the contact area between the strip rib and the strip groove can be increased, hereby improving the stability and reliability of the board coupling structure. Furthermore, the present coupling structure can improve the waterproof performance of the board joint.

According to some embodiments, the inclined arm is a V-shaped inclined arm, and the outer end of the longitudinally extending arm can meet the tip of the V-shaped inclined arm. The V-shaped inclined arm and the longitudinally extending arm can jointly form a Y-shaped strip-shaped rib. Even with less contact area, the Y-shaped strip-shaped rib can still provide sufficient structural stability for the board coupling structure.

According to some embodiments, one end of the strip-shaped groove forms an opening, and the other end is closed.

According to some embodiments, the strip-shaped groove can be disposed close to the edge of the second board and along the length direction of the edge.

According to some embodiments, the present subject matter discloses a board coupling structure that comprises a first board and a second board each being respectively formed with a strip-shaped rib and a strip-shaped groove that can be inserted into each other, the first board and the second board being only movable relative to each other in the insertion direction, wherein the strip-shaped rib further comprises a longitudinally extending arm formed by a circumferential side of the first board and a curved arm that extends from the longitudinally extending arm, and wherein the strip-shaped groove is provided in the inner side wall of the second board, and the shape of the strip-shaped groove matches the shape of the strip-shaped rib.

According to some embodiments, the longitudinally extending arm and the circumferential side are perpendicular to each other.

According to some embodiments, the curved arm can be bent toward one side or both sides of the extension direction of the longitudinally extending arm.

According to some embodiments, the curved arm can adopt different shapes. Preferably, the curved arm can be one of a S-shaped arm, a Z-shaped arm, a U-shaped arm, a C-shaped arm, a V-shaped arm and a W-shaped arm.

According to some embodiments, one end of the strip-shaped groove forms an opening, and the other end is closed.

According to some embodiments, the strip-shaped groove can be disposed close to the edge of the second board and along the length direction of the edge.

According to some embodiments, when the first board and the second board are interlocked, the first board and the second board can be perpendicular to each other. As such, the plug-in coupling board structure can be adopted between two adjacent boards of a rectangular box.

Compared with the prior art, the present subject matter has at least the following advantages: the plug-in board coupling structure can adopt an insertion structure comprising a strip-shaped rib and a strip-shaped groove, wherein the strip-shaped rib comprises at least one longitudinally extending arm and one or more inclined arms obliquely extending from the two sides of the longitudinally extending arm. Particularly, the inclined arms can increase the contact surface between the strip rib and the strip groove so that the bite or engagement is better, the structure is more stable, and the waterproof performance is optimized.

Moreover, the first board and the second board do not need to be connected by a connector during the installation, which can be convenient and fast. In addition, the plug-in board coupling structure has a wide range of applications, especially for the connection between two adjacent sideboards of the cabinet.

Other aspects and advantages of the present subject matter will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the present subject matter.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present subject matter is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment I of the present subject matter;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic diagram of part A in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is an exploded schematic diagram of Embodiment I of the present subject matter;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of part B in FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic diagram of part C in FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment II of the present subject matter;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged schematic diagram of part D in FIG. 6 ;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the first board and the strip-shaped rib in Embodiment II of the present subject matter;

FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment III of the present subject matter;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged schematic diagram of part A in FIG. 9 ;

FIG. 11 is an exploded schematic diagram of Embodiment III of the present subject matter;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged schematic diagram of part B in FIG. 11 ;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged schematic diagram of part C in FIG. 11 ;

FIG. 14 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment IV of the present subject matter;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged schematic diagram of part D in FIG. 14 ;

FIG. 16 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment V of the present subject matter;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the Embodiment VI of the present subject matter;

FIG. 18 is a schematic structural diagram of Embodiment VII of the present subject matter; and

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of Embodiment VIII of the present subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present subject matter pertains to improved approaches for a screw-free and highly stable coupling structure between adjacent boards. Embodiments of the present subject matter are discussed below with reference to FIGS. 1-19 .

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present subject matter. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present subject matter may be practiced without some of these specific details. In addition, the following description provides examples, and the accompanying drawings show various examples for the purposes of illustration. Moreover, these examples should not be construed in a limiting sense as they are merely intended to provide examples of embodiments of the subject matter rather than to provide an exhaustive list of all possible implementations. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the details of the disclosed features of various described embodiments.

Embodiment I

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 , the board coupling structure of this embodiment can comprise a first board 1 and a second board 2 that can be inserted and interlocked into each other. The first board 1 and the second board 2 can be rectangle or square boards. When they are coupled, the first board 1 and the second board 2 can be perpendicular to each other. According to some embodiments, the first board 1 and the second board 2 can be respectively formed with at least one strip-shaped rib 11 and at least one strip-shaped groove 21 that can be inserted or plug-in into each other, so that the first board 1 and the second board 2 can only move in the insertion direction.

The strip-shaped rib 11 of this embodiment can be disposed on one of the circumferential side surfaces 12 of the first board 1, whereas the strip-shaped groove 21 can be disposed on the inner side wall of the second board 2 and near an edge of the second board 2 along the length direction of the edge. According to some embodiments, the shape of the strip-shaped groove 21 can be adapted to the strip rib 11, with one end of the strip groove 21 forming an opening, and the other end being closed. As such, it can facilitate the insertion of the first board 1 and the second board 2 to form the coupling structure.

According to some embodiments, the circumferential side 12 of the first board 1 can extend outwardly to form a longitudinally extending arm 111 that is perpendicular to the circumferential side 12. In this embodiment, an inclined arm 112 can obliquely extend from the two sides of the longitudinally extending arm 111, which can jointly form the stripe-shaped rib 11. According to some embodiments, the inclined arm 112 is X-shaped, and the outer end of the longitudinally extending arm 111 meets the center of the X-shaped inclined arm 112. With the X-shaped shaped cross-section, the contact area between the strip-shaped rib 11 and the stripe-shaped groove 12 is larger. On the one hand, the board coupling structure can improve the bite and make the structure more stable and reliable. On the other hand, it can also facilitate the waterproofing of the connection between the two boards.

In this embodiment, the first board 1 can be the bottom board of the cabinet, and the second board 2 can be the side board of the cabinet. When interlocking with each other, the first board 1 can be horizontally placed, and then the second board 2 can be placed in a vertical position. A user can backwardly insert the stripe-shaped rib 11 from the open end of the stripe-shaped groove 21 until the rear end of the stripe-shaped rib 11 and the closed end of the stripe-shaped groove 21 abut, thereby completing the coupling of the first board 1 and the second board 2.

According to some embodiments, the board coupling structure can also be applied to the connection or joint between other adjacent boards of the cabinet. For example, the first board 1 can be the right side board of the cabinet and the second board 2 can be the front side board of the cabinet, which can be interlocked with each other. By eliminating the need of any connection accessories, the present coupling structure can be convenient and quick. Correspondingly, the disassembly can be convenient as the coupling structure is screw-free. In addition, the coupling structure can be adopted between other boards or panels, such as the left side board and the front side board, the left side board and the rear side board.

Embodiment II

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 , in this embodiment, the inclined arm can be V-shaped inclined arm 113. The outer end of the longitudinally extending arm 111 can meet the tip of the V-shaped inclined arm 113. As such, the V-shaped inclined arm 113 and the longitudinally extending arm 111 can jointly form a Y-shaped strip-shaped rib 11. Even with less contact area, the Y-shaped strip-shaped rib can still provide sufficient structural stability for the board coupling structure.

Embodiment III

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 13 , the board coupling structure of this embodiment can comprise a first board 1 and a second board 2 that can be inserted and interlocked into each other. The first board 1 and the second board 2 can be rectangle or square boards. When they are coupled, the first board 1 and the second board 2 can be perpendicular to each other. According to some embodiments, the first board 1 and the second board 2 can be respectively formed with at least one strip-shaped rib 11 and at least one strip-shaped groove 21 that can be inserted or plug-in into each other, so that the first board 1 and the second board 2 can only move in the insertion direction.

The strip-shaped rib 11 of this embodiment can be disposed on one of the circumferential side surfaces 12 of the first board 1, whereas the strip-shaped groove 21 can be disposed on the inner side wall of the second board 2 and near an edge of the second board 2 along the length direction of the edge. According to some embodiments, the shape of the strip-shaped groove 21 can be adapted to the strip rib 11, with one end of the strip groove 21 forming an opening and the other end being closed. As such, it can facilitate the insertion of the first board 1 and the second board 2 to form the coupling structure.

According to some embodiments, the circumferential side 12 of the first board 1 can extend outwardly to form a longitudinally extending arm 111 that is perpendicular to the circumferential side 12. In this embodiment, a curved arm 115 can extend from the longitudinally extending arm 111, which can jointly form the stripe-shaped rib 11. According to some embodiments, the curved arm 115 is a S-shaped arm. As shown in FIG. 13 , the curved arm 115 can be curved toward both sides of the extension direction of the longitudinally extending arm 111. With the S-shaped shaped cross-section, the contact area between the strip-shaped rib 11 and the stripe-shaped groove 12 is larger. On the one hand, the board coupling structure can improve the bite and make the structure more stable and reliable. On the other hand, it can also facilitate the waterproofing of the connection between the two boards.

In this embodiment, the first board 1 can be the bottom board of the cabinet, and the second board 2 can be the side board of the cabinet. When interlocking with each other, the first board 1 can be horizontally placed, and then the second board 2 can be placed in a vertical position. A user can backwardly insert the stripe-shaped rib 11 from the open end of the stripe-shaped groove 21 until the rear end of the stripe-shaped rib 11 and the closed end of the stripe-shaped groove 21 abut, thereby completing the coupling of the first board 1 and the second board 2.

According to some embodiments, the board coupling structure can also be applied to the connection or joint between other adjacent boards of the cabinet. For example, the first board 1 can be the right side board of the cabinet and the second board 2 can be the front side board of the cabinet, which can be interlocked with each other. By eliminating the need of any connection accessories, the present coupling structure can be convenient and quick. Correspondingly, the disassembly can be convenient as the coupling structure is screw-free. In addition, the coupling structure can be adopted between other boards or panels, such as the left side board and the front side board, the left side board and the rear side board.

Embodiment IV

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 , in this embodiment, the strip-shaped rib 11 can have a Z-shaped curved arm 113. As the remaining structure can be substantially the same as that of Embodiment III, Embodiment IV is not further described in detail.

Embodiment V

As shown in FIG. 16 , in this embodiment, the strip-shaped rib 11 can have a U-shaped curved arm 114. The U-shaped curved arm 114 can curve toward one side of the extending direction of the longitudinally extending arm 111. It can also increase the contact area between the first board 1 and the second board 2, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the board coupling structure. Furthermore, it can improve the waterproof performance of the board joint.

Embodiment VI

As shown in FIG. 17 , in this embodiment, the strip-shaped rib 11 can have a C-shaped curved arm 115. The C-shaped curved arm 115 can curve toward one side of the extending direction of the longitudinally extending arm 111. As the remaining structure can be substantially the same as that of other Embodiments, Embodiment VI is not further described in detail.

Embodiment VII

As shown in FIG. 18 , in this embodiment, the strip-shaped rib 11 can have a V-shaped curved arm 116. The V-shaped curved arm 116 can curve toward one side of the extending direction of the longitudinally extending arm 111. As the remaining structure can be substantially the same as that of other Embodiments, Embodiment VII is not further described in detail.

Embodiment VIII

As shown in FIG. 19 , in this embodiment, the strip-shaped rib 11 can have a W-shaped curved arm 117. The W-shaped curved arm 117 can curve toward one side of the extending direction of the longitudinally extending arm 111. The W-shaped curved arm 117 can be equivalent to adding another bend to the V-shaped curved arm of Embodiment VII, thereby further increasing the contact area, improving the stability and reliability of the board coupling structure.

The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present subject matter. It should be pointed out that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the principle of the present subject matter, various modifications or improvements can be made to the present subject matter, such as in other applications. For example, the first board and the second board may not be perpendicular to each other, and the specific shape of the clamping portion is not limited to the disclosed shapes, and these are all considered to be within the protection scope of the present subject matter.

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of various embodiments of the present subject matter have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of various embodiments of the subject matter, this disclosure is illustrative only. In some cases, certain subassemblies are only described in detail with one such embodiment. Nevertheless, it is recognized and intended that such subassemblies may be used in other embodiments of the subject matter. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize many modifications and variations. Changes may be made in detail, especially matters of structure and management of parts within the principles of the embodiments of the present subject matter to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Having disclosed exemplary embodiments and the best mode, modifications and variations may be made to the disclosed embodiments while remaining within the scope of the embodiments of the subject matter as defined by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A board coupling structure, comprising: a first board (1) and a second board (2) each being respectively formed with a strip-shaped rib (11) and a strip-shaped groove (21) that can be inserted into each other, the first board (1) and the second board (2) being only movable relative to each other in the insertion direction, wherein the strip-shaped rib (11) further comprises a longitudinally extending arm (111) formed by a circumferential side (12) of the first board (1) and an inclined arm (112) that obliquely extends from the two sides of the longitudinally extending arm (111), wherein the strip-shaped groove (21) is disposed in the inner side wall of the second board (2), and the shape of the strip-shaped groove (21) matches the shape of the strip-shaped rib (11), and wherein the inclined arm (112) is X-shaped, and the outer end of the longitudinally extending arm (111) meets the center of the X-shaped inclined arm (112).
 2. The board coupling structure of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally extending arm (111) and the circumferential side (12) are perpendicular to each other.
 3. The board coupling structure of claim 1, wherein one end of the strip-shaped groove (21) forms an opening, and the other end is closed.
 4. The board coupling structure of claim 1, wherein the strip-shaped groove (21) is disposed close to the edge of the second board (2) and along the length direction of the edge.
 5. The board coupling structure of claim 1, wherein when the first board (1) and the second board (2) are interlocked, the first board (1) and the second board (2) are perpendicular to each other. 